Passport control: Should we approach one-by-one or as a group?

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This can be a very narrow grey area but I think it's best to consider it the difference between travelling together and traveling merely with someone. Meaning...

  • You are traveling together with your spouse, boyfriend, parents/kids, some kind of family unit. Approach together.
  • You are traveling with your friend or business colleague. Approach separately.

Of course, if the officer asks if your travelling with someone, don't be pedantic, just answer yes. They might ask about the relationship and again, answer truthfully. These aren't trick questions and lying is far, far worse then your friend being in a different line.

Siblings can go a couple of ways. If it's just the siblings, approach together. If any of them have other family, like kids, split up.

Please read all comments. OP update and additional information there.

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If you have a room booked for several persons so these several persons can come together to the border control officer to show the accommodation confirmation. It is a typical situation for the group of people travelling together. Just don't make a big crowd.

Upvote:4

Wait together but walk up to the desk or booth one-by-one, you can always point at each other. Also, don't worry too much, interviews when entering the Schengen area are relatively short and none of this will have serious consequences.

In general, some countries are more specific about this than others but the procedure I outlined is typically the way it's supposed to work. In other places, I have witnessed border guards inviting people to step back and show up one-by-one, even relatives travelling together but, as I said, I think Schengen countries are more relaxed than most about this.

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